| Subject | Date Asked |
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| Sliding rules | 11/17/2009 |
Q: In the Little league world series there were several games that the catcher was in front of the ...
A: Brian, You are correct. A fielder without possession of the ball cannot stop a fielder from having ...
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| Runner out at 3rd base | 11/16/2009 |
Q: At my team's last game, there was a situation on which there was a runner at 3rd base, the batter ...
A: Diego, In most baseball rules, this is an incorrect call as you describe it. If the runner at 3rd ...
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| Definition of Intentionally Dropping a Ball | 10/29/2009 |
Q: "Here is mycan you please define intentionally dropping the ball?...let me expand, further, if there ...
A: Winston, Most interpretations of the rule state that the ball must hit the glove for it to be ...
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| Umpire call reversals | 10/1/2009 |
Q: I am President of the Royal Belgian Baseball & Softball Federation (www.frbbs.be). I would have ...
A: Jerome, Overall, the umpires did exactly what their job expects them to do: Officiate the game in a ...
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| Interference | 9/25/2009 |
Q: Mr. Senger, we had the following situation last night in our game and would like to know what the ...
A: Michael, Using Official Baseball Rules, the call was correct: 7.09 It is interference by a batter ...
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| pitcher/2nd base | 8/31/2009 |
Q: I would like to know if a pitcher can fast roll/toss a ball backwards towards the second base to ...
A: Vince, You are correct. As long as the pitcher is not touching the rubber, then he can do whatever ...
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| pitcher/2nd base | 8/29/2009 |
Q: I would like to know if a pitcher can fast roll/toss a ball backwards towards the second base to ...
A: Vince, A pitcher would not be allowed to attempt a pick-off as you describe it. The main reason on ...
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| baseball | 8/28/2009 |
Q: This also happened in a JV game. Not quite sure of ruling. In the game runner on third with one out! ...
A: John, After the ground out, there were two outs. The runner from third then abandoned his base, ...
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| baseball | 8/27/2009 |
Q: This also happened in a JV game. Not quite sure of ruling. In the game runner on third with one out! ...
A: John, Once the umpire determines the runner at third has abandoned his base, he would be called out ...
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| delayed dead ball | 8/26/2009 |
Q: Happened in a jr high baseball game last night.Runners were on 1st and 2nd and a groundball was ht ...
A: Mark, In every ruleset I umpire under, the ball is immediately dead when it hits a runner prior to ...
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| intentional walk rules | 8/18/2009 |
Q: During the Oakland A's TV broadcast on 8/17, there was a trivia question asking why the catcher put ...
A: Jeff, There are no rules that would answer the question. After asking several fellow umpires, no ...
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| Appeal | 8/9/2009 |
Q: Two Outs Two Strikes, runner at second. Umpire calls a strike three based upon a swing. No one ...
A: Mike, Simply: No. Once a strike is called on a check swing, it cannot be reversed. The offense ...
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| Fair or Foul Balls | 8/7/2009 |
Q: Mr. Senger, I have a couple of questions on whether a ball is fair or foul. 1) If a batter swings ...
A: Michael, With any foul balls up to (and including) first and third bases, the decision on whether a ...
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| Can we protest a game after the end of the game? | 8/2/2009 |
Q: In our league in Colorado we have a written rule that states "All players in uniform who are not ...
A: Charlie, There are no rules that pertain to this type of situation, simply because the "must play" ...
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| Official Game Line Up Card | 7/31/2009 |
Q: I am an American Legion coach and we are currently playing in our state tournament. We play American ...
A: Stephen, Depending on how strict the rules were, the player could be ineligible to play. In Major ...
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| ruling | 7/24/2009 |
Q: There was a play at the plate. Catcher was 4 ft. in front of the plate on the baseline and had ...
A: Henry, The ruling here all depends on the Official Rules for the league you're umpiring. I'm not ...
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| Balk | 7/21/2009 |
Q: Game being played under PONY rules. Runner on 2nd, pitcher throws ball and a balk is called batter ...
A: George, I'm not experienced in PONY rules, but I will give you the answer based on Official ...
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| Pitching | 7/14/2009 |
Q: After coming to the set position, can a pitcher throw to any base without removing his back foot ...
A: Of course he can. The easiest example is a left-handed pitcher attempting a pick-off to first base. ...
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| Does the run count? | 7/14/2009 |
Q: Bases loaded, 2 outs. Batter hits a soft liner to short which is dropped. Runner on second is ...
A: Randy, I had originally given you the Official Baseball Rules definition of Force Play: A FORCE ...
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| Pitching rules | 7/13/2009 |
Q: In a recent cubs game, they pulled the pitcher and placed him in the field, another pitcher came ...
A: Bill, This is allowed: Rule 3.03 Comment: A pitcher may change to another position only once ...
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| Does the run count? | 7/12/2009 |
Q: Bases loaded, 2 outs. Batter hits a soft liner to short which is dropped. Runner on second is ...
A: Randy, As long as the runner from second is in a force play, the run would count. A FORCE PLAY is ...
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| Baseball | 7/6/2009 |
Q: What happens when a foul ball is caught and the fielder accidently runs past the dead ball line with ...
A: Graeme, If the fielder catches the ball while in dead-ball territory, the ball is a foul ball; no ...
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| Do the runs count? | 7/2/2009 |
Q: Here is the scenario. Runners on 2nd and 3rd with 2 outs. Batter hits a line drive to the outfield ...
A: Wes, The runs would not count. The following is from the Official Baseball Rules: 7.12 Unless two ...
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| baseball rule clarification | 7/2/2009 |
Q: I know from some prior situations that it is hard to correct things once a player goes to the ...
A: Karen, For situation #1, I will need further information. When you say "the umpire did the quick ...
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| foul tip out | 7/2/2009 |
Q: Why is a foul tip into the catcher's glove an out on the third strike but not the first two? If a ...
A: Andy, The difference between the two is found in the Definitions section of the Official Baseball ...
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| Home Run or Out | 6/30/2009 |
Q: A batter hits a ball that is clearly on its way to leaving the yard. The left fielder continues to ...
A: Bob, In the situation you gave, the batter would be out as long as the fielder was still in-play ...
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| Fly ball catch with a runner on first | 6/29/2009 |
Q: I was hoping someone could shed some light on this scenario. Base runner is at first base the ...
A: Robert, It is correct to award the runner third base. However, the runner must touch first before ...
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| first baseman causing balks | 6/27/2009 |
Q: Does the first baseman need to be within tagging distance of the runner to receive a throw over from ...
A: Ron, Official Baseball Rules do not specifically state the rule, but it has been interpreted that ...
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| Interference by on deck hitter | 6/26/2009 |
Q: There was a play at the plate where the throw from the OF went by the catcher and sliding runner and ...
A: Vic, Unless the on-deck batter purposely interfered with the play, there is no call. Official ...
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| batter-runner interference | 6/24/2009 |
Q: this is the scenario: A right handed batter hits a dribbler in fair territory just out in front of ...
A: Bill, Generally, umpires will ignore this, as both players were doing as they should and no one got ...
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| Coaching conduct | 6/23/2009 |
Q: Can a coach stand behind the homeplate umpire, behind the backstop while the opposing team is ...
A: Stacy, Coaches are not allowed behind the umpire during a game. Depending on the ruleset used, the ...
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| batter | 6/23/2009 |
Q: Does the batter have to make an attempt to avoid being hit by a pitched ball in a major league game/
A: Armando, In general, a batter must attempt to avoid a pitch. However, some leniency is given on a ...
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| Rules to protest a game | 6/22/2009 |
Q: Can a manager or team official file an official protest after a game had been officially completed? ...
A: Roland, The umpire's duties do not carry into ineligible players (other than what has occurred in ...
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| Rules to protest a game | 6/22/2009 |
Q: Can a manager or team official file an official protest after a game had been officially completed? ...
A: Roland, For most protests, the protest must be made to the umpire-in-chief prior to the next pitch ...
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| rubber baseball | 6/20/2009 |
Q: We were playing a baseball game(age 14). The bases were loaded. There were 2 outs. The opposing ...
A: Sheila, As far as I know, there are no rules governing the penalties of an illegally-used ball. ...
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| Balk Call | 6/17/2009 |
Q: We play Federation Baseball Rule in our league in Virginia (NVTBL). My pitcher was called for a balk ...
A: Joe, A spin move is definitely not a balk. In order to pick off a player, the pitcher must gain ...
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| Runner hit by ball | 6/16/2009 |
Q: College baseball- ball is struck by batter propelling ball on ground thru I field toward right ...
A: Michael, The main question to ask here is if the ball had passed any infielder other than the ...
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| 11U AA, Nations Baseball | 6/14/2009 |
Q: On live ball play, runner from third attempts to score, runner from second goes touches third and ...
A: Jose, First off, I had no luck in finding a definite answer in the OBR Rules. However, I've been ...
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| Game called on account of darkness | 6/12/2009 |
Q: Please offer your opinion on how this should be handled....Game is called at top of 5th inning ...
A: Anji, The answer all depends on how many innings the game was scheduled for. If it was scheduled ...
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| Force out in baseball | 6/10/2009 |
Q: We had a situation where there was a force at 2nd base. The second baseman had the ball in his hand ...
A: Liz, For any force out at a base, the fielder can touch the base with any part of his body, as long ...
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| throwing a glove and touching the ball | 6/4/2009 |
Q: I understand the rule is three bases if Contact is made but as an umpire how exactly is the call ...
A: Jim, I would signal obstruction, which is my left arm straight out and hand in a fist. I would also ...
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| overthrow to first gets stuck in the fence | 6/3/2009 |
Q: I have a rules question for you On an overthrow to first base where the ball gets stuck in the ...
A: William, Any ball that lodges into a fence is considered an immediate dead ball. In your scenario ...
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| runner interference | 5/31/2009 |
Q: Runner on 2nd. Batter hits ball towards shortstop, shortstop moves up to play ball and runner on ...
A: Steve, No, that is not right. The ball is dead immediately on any interference, so whether he was ...
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| Fair/Foul Ball | 5/29/2009 |
Q: Batter hits a ground ball in the infield that starts in fair territory; the infielder while in fair ...
A: Ken, When calling a fair or foul ball, the location of the player or where the ball last bounce has ...
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| catching a fly ball in the outfield | 5/26/2009 |
Q: If an outfielder catches a fly ball and then drops as he exchanges to his other hand to throw back ...
A: Sandra, According to the Official Baseball Rules, "In establishing the validity of the catch, the ...
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| Stealing Home, Overrun bases, "Time" | 5/21/2009 |
Q: Several rules involved here- (Minor League 9-12,Kid pitch) Scenario- 5th inning, bases loaded 1 ...
A: Chad, I'm not familiar with the rules the league you mention uses, but I would assume it's a ...
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| rules | 5/20/2009 |
Q: ther are runners on 1 and 3 2 out. The batter hits a home run over the fence but the batter fails ...
A: Both runners will score. An appeal is a time play, so both runners scored before the appeal was ...
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| Interference | 5/19/2009 |
Q: during a little league game the runner on second was stealing third and the pitch was in the dirt ...
A: Chris, In your situation, it would definitely be batter's interference. In fact, a batter can still ...
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| Carrying a caught ball out of play | 5/18/2009 |
Q: In asa softball does the runner have to be in contact with the base occupied when a fielder catches ...
A: Richard, I am not trained in ASA rules, but I did find a copy of their rulebook online. According ...
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| majors pitchers | 5/15/2009 |
Q: If the pitcher has control of the ball on the rubber, and runners on first and third, with the ...
A: Randy, I am a bit confused on what you are asking. I'm assuming the following: After a base hit, ...
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| running out of base path | 5/15/2009 |
Q: a player is forced to run from 2nd base to third on a ground ball. the ball is fielded by the third ...
A: Daniel, If the play happened exactly as you mentioned, the runner should not have been called out. ...
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| Balk Rule Situation | 5/6/2009 |
Q: Runners on first and third, 2 out. Pitcher begins his move, runner on first breaks for second. ...
A: Baylor, I'm not trained in PONY rules, but I've heard they use modified OBR. None of what you said ...
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| Balk Rule Situation | 5/6/2009 |
Q: Runners on first and third, 2 out. Pitcher begins his move, runner on first breaks for second. ...
A: Baylor, I will assume the game was being played under OBR (Official Baseball Rules) rules, which ...
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| deadball ruling | 4/30/2009 |
Q: This has to do with a recent local high school baseball game. There was a runner on first which had ...
A: William, The umpires got the call right. According to the NFHS's Baseball Rules, "runners return to ...
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| Rules | 4/20/2009 |
Q: Please explain the "infield fly" rule. ANSWER: The infield fly rule is a bit like learning to ride ...
A: When you think about it, it's a great rule. It protects the offensive. If there were runners on ...
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| Rules | 4/19/2009 |
Q: Please explain the "infield fly" rule.
A: The infield fly rule is a bit like learning to ride a bike -- it's complicated to understand at ...
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| Obstruction of a base | 4/15/2009 |
Q: In my opinion, in order to avoid injuries and to be fair to the runner, the fielder, including the ...
A: John, Catchers feel they have to do it because it's allowed. The difference between home and other ...
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| Obstruction of a base | 4/14/2009 |
Q: In my opinion, in order to avoid injuries and to be fair to the runner, the fielder, including the ...
A: John, I am all for safety in sports, especially in non-professional leagues. However, to make a ...
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| HBP Rule | 4/13/2009 |
Q: I have seen a shifting of umpire calls on batters hit-by- pitch calls. In the last month, I have ...
A: Julian, In NFHS, the rule simply states that the batter must not "permit a pitched ball to touch ...
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| scoring and stats question | 4/6/2009 |
Q: I am preparing the stats for a game in which a player was injured, and was out for 2 innings, and ...
A: Karen, Because you mentioned the re-entry of a player, I'm assuming you're using NFHS (Fed) rules. ...
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| Balk | 4/5/2009 |
Q: Is it a balk if a a right handed pitcher's right foot leaves the pitching rubber while pitching ...
A: Laura, I can't find any rules to substantiate my ruling, but I would have to see what you mean. If ...
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| Out of Play Situations | 3/26/2009 |
Q: I was in a high school game and a ruling was made on the field which I am not sure was correct or ...
A: Lawrence, I apologize for the delay in answering -- baseball season is beginning to get busy! For ...
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| Baseball rules | 3/24/2009 |
Q: My son sge 10 asked me if a runner and the baseman who catches the ball reach the base at the same ...
A: Dixie, According to Official Baseball Rules (OBR, the rules used by Major League Baseball): 7.01 A ...
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| pitch count when a player competes in a league and in weekend travel ball | 3/23/2009 |
Q: Little League Baseball of course employs pitch counts with all age groups. an 11-12 yr old can throw ...
A: I cannot speak for this particular weekend league, but most have a supplemental set of rules that ...
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| Home Run Stolen? Or Not? | 3/12/2009 |
Q: Ball is going over right field fence when fielder jumps up, catches it (glove over fence) and goes ...
A: If I felt the ball would have gone over the fence on the fly, I would rule this a home run. If I ...
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| covering 3rd and 1st | 3/4/2009 |
Q: Sorry in advance about the length of this question... 3rd baseman straddling the bag while a runner ...
A: Doug, OBR 4.03 states: "When the ball is put in play ... all fielders other than the catcher shall ...
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| interference | 2/9/2009 |
Q: I get a little confused with 7.08g and 6.06c with regards to the batter interfering with the catcher ...
A: This situation would fall under 6.06c. The Comment for the rule states "If the batter interferes ...
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| interference | 2/9/2009 |
Q: I get a little confused with 7.08g and 6.06c with regards to the batter interfering with the catcher ...
A: Roger, The rule is set the way it is to penalize the offense. For example, if the batter were ...
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| dead ball ques. | 2/4/2009 |
Q: runner on 1st,batter receives ball four. catcher catches ball four. runner on 1st hassles to 2nd but ...
A: Jorge, I will assume that the ruleset used was Official Baseball Rules (OBR). If another ruleset was ...
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